Abscondita: The Victura
by anidnawind
Summary: Princess Zelda Augustine knew that freedom from her family would come with a price, but she never expected her home to be destroyed. Alongside her best friend, Zelda, disguised as a man named Hyrin, sets out on an epic quest that will not only open her eyes to her sister's tyranny, but that will reveal the dark past of her lost friends, Hyrule, and the spirit within her.
1. The Prologue

**Hello, everybody! It's Ani again with a new story called Abscondita: The Victura. Just telling you in case you didn't read the title. Just for the record and stuff, this is my second story here. Oh, and thanks for reading this story! It means bunches to me. **

**This story is actually a prequel to Antiquis Viam. Don't worry, I haven't given up on Antiquis Viam! I'm just in a very nasty writer's block with that story right now. **

**Happy birthday, Skyward Sword! I can't believe that it has already been a year. It seems like it was December just yesterday. **

**_Pronunciation Tip:_ "Saorise" is pronounced "Say-orrs" in this story, even though in Irish it's "See-ra" or something. ****  
**

**Beta-read by my awesome buddy LeilaEditer. Her stuff is awesome. Check it out.**

**Rated T for violence.**

**I don't own the Legend of Zelda, obviously, but the characters I have created and the scenario are MINE, pal!**

**-Ani**

* * *

**Prologue**

Malon was anything but feminine, despite her looks. Sure, she wore a longskirt and had matted copper curls that floated to her knees, but that didn't make her any more likely to learn how to cook or take care of the little children. Malon was the mischiveous one- the little girl who would secretly try to go off on an "adventure" with somebody's forgotten canoe or attempt to hide her baby sister's doll in the stables, _underneath_ the horse poop. Then, of course, her older sister, Cremia, would make her go home and take a bath, and eventually, brush her hair.

Malon loathed brushing her hair.

Maybe it was that Cremia pulled too hard on her seven-year-old scalp, or that Malon had the attention span of a gnat on steriods and couldn't sit still for more than two minutes; only the Gods would know. But today, Malon needed to brush her hair more than ever.

"They'll be here in less than an hour, I'm positive!" Marin squealed, fervently pulling the brush through Malon's knotted locks with as much force as she could muster.

"You said that three hours ago! Link has been keeping track!" Malon pointed to Link, whose hollow, glazed eyes glared at an hourglass. "Right, Link?"

"Can I go now? I'm tired!" Link whined, continuing to stare at the hourglass, as if he was hypnotized by the miniscule sand falling into the bottom chamber.

"No!" Malon snapped. "Don't they supposedly have the fastest horses in Hyrule?" She changed the subject rapidly.

"Well, yeah, but Ancora is pretty remote," Link looked up from his demeaning task.

"I thought I told you to keep track of the time? You're only going to get ten rupees for this if you slack off!" Malon held her nose upwards.

"Ten?" Link's face lit up like the sun. "You said you were only going to give me three! Praise the Goddesses, Malon has learned generosity!"

"Yeah, that'll buy you half a sandwich from the tavern," Marin grumbled sarcastically.

"The overpriced one in Iacet or the one in Viren?" Malon asked.

"They don't even have one in Viren! Besides, Uli told me that the place in Iacet moved to Audentia last year!" Marin justified.

"Seriously, I need to pee!" Link came up with an excuse, wondering if Malon would let him leave for that.

"Fine! You can leave!" Malon grumbled, crossing her arms. Link ran out of the room as quick as lightning, finally liberated from his tiring chore.

As Marin continued to yank the brush through Malon's hair, screeches could be heard from underneath the floorboards. Malon turned towards her sister, heaving a sigh.

"Do you think Cremia's down there? Or Uli?" Marin asked.

"Probably not. Uli is probably with Rusl at the pond and Cremia went to clean some more cotton at least an hour ago," Malon looked down. Loud cries were emitting through the cracks.

"I think they're at it again!" Marin placed the brush on the table.

"No, really?" Malon sprung up and started walking towards the open door. "Well, are you coming?"

"Y-yeah!" Marin studdered, her cheeks blushing scarlet. She dropped the brush, following her sister out of the room, bounding down the stairs rambunctiously like bulls just released from captivity. Just as they had thought, the two youngest members of their household were fighting yet again.

"Go get Cremia. I'll try to get Aryll away," Malon pointed towards the open house door.

"Why can't Link come with me? The field is far from here!" Marin asked, grabbing her sunveil.

"I never said he couldn't! Now go!" Malon shooed her out of the house. Using all of her strength, Malon was able to lift the blonde child by the arms, dragging her over to the other side of the room.

"No, Aryll! You're being a bad girl!" She scolded, wagging her finger like her older sister used to. Malon sat down, watching the two children, making sure that they stayed in their places.

"What's wrong?" Cremia threw open the door after fifteen minutes had past, entering the house dramatically. "Romanina Calyn Gesupir! What in the name of the Gods have you done?" The small redheaded child was covered in blonde hair, holding a pair of sewing shears in her hands. A bright pink handprint displayed itself across her cheek. Romani just stayed on the floor, giggling. "Malon! Do you have any idea when this hap- Oh my Din! You brushed your hair!"

"Actually, Marin did it," Malon paused for a moment. "You do know why you're here, right?"

Cremia returned to her senses, and from the corner of her eye, Link's younger sister caught Cremia's attention.

"Oh, Aryll!" Cremia lifted the 10-month-old up into her arms. Aryll's golden curls were now cut jaggedly across her scalp. "Romani won't be eating tonight, I'm afraid. Go put those shears up, Malon!" Cremia paused, examining her outfit. "Why don't you have on the new clothes that Old Miss Burmine spend days making for you? I don't think that you would be setting a fair example of Ancora Village with that nasty, torn, stained longskirt and that old blouse. The Royal Family will be expecting you to look like a lady, not an orphan. Go change, now."

"I don't want to look like a lady, Cremia. I want to look like a Malon!" The seven-year-old justified.

"No, Malon. You are a lady. Go change or you won't be eating dinner either!" Cremia pointed up the creaking wooden steps. Malon loathed every move she made towards that new longskirt. She didn't know why she needed to dress up when the Royal Family knew that they couldn't afford to dress like that everyday. To her, it was almost like lying. She wasn't rich, nor was she a lady. She'd never be either.

The new longskirt was dark green with wooden beads sewn into the hem. The accompanying blouse was white, and the banner, which was formerly Cremia's, was embroidered with Faronian symbols and the Gesupir Family Crest, a horsehead surrounded by Faron peonies and Ancora rivergrass. After Malon tied the belt that secured the place of all of the clothes, she could hear a faint bell in the distance. They were finally coming.

Malon ran down the stairs and out the door, leaving Cremia, who was now holding both children, in a fog. Malon stopped abruptly, remembering her sunveil. All females in Faron Province, except for nobility, were required by law to wear them as a symbol of modesty and as protection from the heat. Malon's was blue with bright red roses, given as a gift from Madame Hildenna, Mayor Beugarde's wife. She tied it on her head and resumed running towards the town center.

The Town Center had the Mayor's House, Gesupir's Dry Goods, the school, Hammold's Fine Smithswork, the local temple, and Malon's favorite place of all, Jesslyne's Eatery. It used to be called Mindrana's Eatery, but Miss Jesslyne's mother, Missus Mindrana, died a year ago in a horrific blizzard. Miss Jesslyne was 14 and considered the best chef in Faron Province. She had a younger sister, Ashlleza, and a father, Mister Cylose, but nobody knows what happened to them after Missus Mindrana died.

"Malon!" Marin called, waving her down. "Come here!"

Marin was standing with Miss Jesslyne, Link, and Ilia, Mayor Beugarde's daughter, as Malon rushed towards them.

"I can't believe that we're going to get to meet them! Our village, out of hundreds in Faron!" Ilia squealed, her green eyes set ablaze with euphoria.

"They should be here in a few minutes. Make sure to bow your heads when they come by. It's Royal protocol," Miss Jesslyne kneeled down to look the children in the eyes.

The lead horse entered the village, a heavily decorated officer riding squarely on its back. The man on horseback was followed by two drummers and a trumpist playing the national anthem, _Beneath the Gods_. Finally, being pulled by two ivory white stallions, the Royal carriage entered the village square. Malon ogled in its presence, taking in every piece of ornate gold decor on its exterior and the blue velvet drapery. Link had to nudge her to get her head to bow.

"We welcome on this fine seventh day of March, the presence of the Royal Family of Hyrule to this cordial village of Ancora! Please acknowledge your faithful king, His Royal Majesty, King Nohansen Alesand XVI!" The trumpist yelled as the king stepped out of the carriage. He was decorated in velvet and silk, gold and silver, rubies and sapphires. He bowed to the people.

"And the queen consort, Her Royal Majesty, Queen Elspeth Ilonah Mariké!" The queen also exited the carriage. She was also adorned in fine cloth, precious metals, and valuable jewels, but her face did not look regal at all. It was wound into a tight knot of discontent; eyebrows furrowed, nose crinkled, painted lips frowning. Her eyes, as brown as dirt, gave off fury. Her hair, as pale as a cloud, was curled as much as she seemed agitated. It was a shame that such an unworthy woman was placed as high as a queen.

"The Crown Prince, Daphnes Nohansen Mattias III!" While not dressed as elaborate as the king and queen, the prince still looked much more refined than the villagers. His eyes, the green of fields, shone with some uncomfortable sort of happiness. His dark brown hair fell over his eyes.

"Princess Zelda Augustine Wilhelmina!" The princess stepped out of the carriage, wearing yet another ornate dress. Her bronze hair was woven into a long braid, other sections falling over her long ears. The princess's eyes, however, were grey, reverberating a tone of such a malaise of simplicity. Underneath the rich cloth and precious stones, the princess was plain. She was merely plain.

"Princess Zelda Constantine Nohanna!" Only a year younger than the other princess, she held a grin of mischief and arrogance high above her age of six. She looked exactly like the queen, flaxen curls, brown eyes, and all. She was outfitted more luxuriously than the prince and other princess, ornamented with rubies and draped with rose-colored silk, velvet, and cashmere. Malon knew instantly that this girl was up to no good.

Six other children exited the carriage, ranging from age five to five months, but Malon could not stop looking at the contrast between Princess Zelda Constantine and Princess Zelda Augustine. The former was haughty and encased in a self-induced confinement of her own arrogance, but the latter seemed so bland and mediocre it was nearly laughable. Princess Zelda Constantine wore rubies and a dark rose-colored silk gown with a blue banner, but Princess Zelda Augustine just had a lilac dress and a gold pendant hanging from her neck. It was too strange for members of the Royal Family to contrast this much.

As the Royal Family walked towards the mayor, the brunette princess glanced around for a moment and began walking towards the woods.

"Let's go find her! If we go the opposite way, we'll meet her at Old Winny's grave!" Link whispered to Malon.

"You think so?" Malon questioned.

"Yeah. I'll go with you, and Marin can stay with Ilia. Let's go!" Link took Malon's hand and began walking into the woods. They climbed down a wall of rocks towards the trail before landing on a bed of pine straw. Malon and Link walked down the trail until hearing a soft scream resounding from a few yards away.

Malon turned her head to see the brunette princess crying, clutching her leg.

"That's her! She's hurt!" Malon's voice grew to a shrill whisper, her cerulean eyes bulging as her head swung towards Link in a quick burst of an odd mixture of anxiety and joy. Malon sauntered off slowly towards the lone princess, her obstructed view becoming more clear with every step.

"Are you okay?" Malon implored, as if the weight of the world relied on the safety of such a plain, insipid girl.

"Yes. Please leave me alone," The princess whimpered through her tears, trying her hardest to not disintegrate into hysteria from the searing pain encapsuling her body.  
_I should have known better,_ she tells herself, scolding the ridiculous idea that her monster of an imagination had called a brilliant plan. _I should have stayed..._

"You lied! You can't be okay! Your leg's bleeding!" Link rejoined his friend, contending at the girl. The princess opened her plain, grey eyes, something changing within their depths. Her eyes no longer looked vacuous; they were pools of guileless fear.

"What are you doing out in the woods? It's pretty dangerous out here," Malon wondered, her voice shifting into a warmer tone to potentially condole the girl back into sanity.

"I was trying to run away," She sobbed, wiping her eyes.

"From what?" Link asked, leaning in closer to her, as if the close company of another strange rural child was going to assuage the pain in her leg.

"My life."

Link and Malon stopped for a moment, their hearts nearly skipping a beat. This was unheard of. Since birth, all Hyrulean people were taught that whatever class you were born into, whether it be Royal, noble, medial, agrarian, poor, or an outcast, you were forbidden by Hyrulean law to change. A Royal girl was wanting to be an outcast. She could be given the death sentence for her audacity.

"You can't live out here, Your H-"

"My name is Zelda. You can call me Zelda."

"Zelda, you'll get killed for doing this! You're only seven years old! Why?" Link continued, his eyes widening in honest concern.

"My mother," Zelda paused, her tears falling heavier, "S-she hates me!"

"I'm sure she doesn't hate you, Zelda," Malon's voice hinted towards remorse, as if she could feel the same pain- emotional and phsyical- that Zelda was fighting.

"When my father left for Kakariko Village last month, my mother walked up to me and slapped me. She said that I was the most revolting thing to ever step foot on this earth!" Zelda cried, losing any self-control that she may have aquired within the last few moments. "She said that I was one of the Gods' mistakes."

Zelda's hysteric tone dropped to near silence, Malon's faint gasp being the loudest noise nearby. Even the winds seemed to calm down, as if they expressed the same sympathy. As if the Gods were listening.

"I think I hate her, too."

The shine in Link's eyes slipped away like water in a child's hands. It was replaced by something dark, something deep and heartfelt. He needed a solution to help this pitiful stranger.

"I'm Link, and that's my best friend Malon. She has a twin sister named Marin, but she's with our other friend Ilia. Ilia's the mayor's only child, and she can be kind of stuck up sometimes," Link paused, his crystalline blue eyes clouding up in deep thought once again.

"Maybe, Zelda, you can come live with us, if you want."

"No, I can't. They'd send me back."

"We could disguise you as a boy. That would work, maybe," Malon suggested. Zelda's eyes lit up with joy.

"Really?" Zelda inquired, her voice full of unadulterated elation. "I've always wanted to do some of the things that boys do, but my mother won't let me. You really think that we could make this work?"

"Nothing is impossible," Malon's lips curled into a mischevious smile.

"We dug a hole over there last fall to put the leaves in. You could hide in there, unless you're scared of spiders," Link pointed towards a small ditch.

"I'm not," Zelda smiled weakly.

"Then, when Miss Jesslyne comes back from the Grand Market in Audentia in three weeks, we can say that you're Link's cousin. We could call you Naurn," Malon suggested, thinking her plan out thoroughly.

"That's an ugly name. I like Ensis," Link interjected.

"Miach. Miach was my great-grandfather's name," Malon suggested.

"What about," Zelda stopped, thinking for a moment. "Hyrin?"

Link and Malon turned towards her, shock in their eyes.

"Hyrin is the boy verison of Hylia, right?" Link asked slowly, pausing between each word he spoke, Malon and Zelda both nodding. "The Condemned Spirit? Why would you want to be named after _that_?"

"I just like the name, that's all," Zelda whispered.

"Hyrin Carlten. You know, that sounds a bit strange. What was your mom's name, Link?" Malon asked.

"Her last name? I think it was Saorise. Hyrin Saorise," Link paused, dusting his honey colored hair out from in front of his eyes. "That sounds good enough. Hyrin Ensis Saorise."

"I like that name," Zelda smiled a fake, toothy smile, dripping with an insincerity left unknown by Link and Malon.

"I'll go to my house and get some sewing shears and some of Link's clothes for you and some other things. We're going to have to make you look like a boy," Malon got up from her spot, running away, her longskirt billowing in the early spring breeze. It was easy to see her, and anybody, in the woods, for the trees had not grown their leaves again. All was laid before them, as bare as the princess was plain.

In a few minutes, Malon had returned, bringing Ilia and Marin with her, the three girls toting supplies. They placed their items down, Ilia and Marin immediately rushing to the princess.

"Hello, Your Majesty. I'm Ilia Delythe Thierry, daughter of the Mayor of Ancora. It's a pleasure to meet you," Ilia's lips curled into an innocent, yet cynical smile as she curtsied. Her flaxen, slivery blonde braid fell off of her shoulder as she rose up to meet Zelda's eyes. Ilia was taller. Ilia seemed to have more authority as a mayor's daughter than Zelda would ever seem to have. Ilia had a fire burning in her green eyes. Zelda's were empty.

"You can call me Hyrin now. That's my new name," Zelda corrected Ilia as monotonously as she herself was simple.

"It's great to meet you, Hyrin. I'm Marin. Malon and I are twins, if you couldn't already tell," Marin shook hands with Zelda, a geniune smile on her freckled face.

"Hey, Link, you should go get some food from Papa's house. Get the vegatables and some water, no bread or milk," Malon waved her hands, directing him away. Link began running along the path, towards Mr. Gesupir's house. As soon as he was out of sight, Ilia handed Zelda a handful of clothes.

"This is what you wear under your pants," Ilia held up a pair of brown shorts. "Then you put on this shirt," Ilia held up a shortsleeved, green shirt with ivory stitching. "And then you have the socks, the pants, and the other shirt. You tie the other shirt with this belt, and then you put on the boots. Understand?"

Zelda nodded, taking the clothes from Ilia. Zelda went down a hill, where she would be free from exposure.

After shedding herself of her royal dress, shoes, and socks, the princess lifted the brown shorts up to her lower waist, tying the garmet with a twine string. She then pulled the green shirt up over her head, letting the hem fall to her hips. Zelda put on the cream colored socks and then the dark brown pants. The pants had areas of patchwork and stitching, and even then, there were still holes around the knees. It was obvious that the pants were used heavily by their previous owner, whether that boy had been Link or some other. She wrapped the other shirt around herself, its long-sleeves seeming inapproriate for the upcoming warm weather. She didn't mind much, however. Zelda was just glad for the new clothes. She tightend the belt around her waist. She gathered the clothes of her old persona and began walking back up the hill.

"Do you have the shears?" Marin asked Malon. Malon nodded, approching Zelda. The took the indigo ribbon out of Zelda's hair, letting it fall to the ground. Quickly, she grasped the beginning of the braid, and in one swift cut, Zelda's brown hair was in Malon's hand. Malon gave the braid to Ilia. She turned Zelda around and cut some of the pieces off of the front.

"You look like an orphan boy now, Hyrin," Malon smiled.

Zelda picked her ribbon off of the ground and stuck it into her pocket. Link appeared with a satchel.

"This should get you through about three days. We'll bring you food through the week, Hyrin," Marin took the satchel from Link and handed it to Zelda. Zelda smiled, taking it and climbing into the hole. Malon and Ilia placed a deerskin rug over the hole, and covered the rug with some dead leaves.

Zelda could hear the footsteps of her newfound friends walking away. She closed her eyes, but it did not make much difference in the darkness of the hole. Zelda could not even believe that she had just mustered the courage to abandon her family, her life, in just a few minutes. She could have said that it was the scariest choice she had ever made in her life, but something inside of her said that it was the right one.

* * *

Hyrin lay fast asleep in his hiding spot when it was suddenly uncovered rather abruptly.

"Hyrin! Wake up! Miss Jesslyne is back!" Ilia held out her hand, lifting Hyrin up out of his hole. He had dirt stains on his clothes and face, and his hair did not look freshly cut anymore. Ilia ran to the wall of rocks, climbing up them with a fervent sense of excitement. Hyrin dragged behind her, still languid from his morning nap.

"Hyrin!" Link yelled, running up to the former princess, trapping him with a bear hug. Miss Jesslyne looked up, winking at Ilia with her golden eyes. "I haven't seen you in ages! Why are you here?"

"Papa died a few weeks ago. I bumped into that lady and I asked her where she was from, and she said Ancora. I figured that since Papa's family was from here, that I might have some family in this village," Hyrin smiled, his grey eyes gleaming with content happiness.

"Lets go meet Mr. Gesupir!" Link grabbed Hyrin's hand.

"What about Uncle Haln and Aunt Ammie?" Hyrin asked, stopping abruptly, digging the heels of his boots into the soft dirt of the village road.

"They went on a trip with my friends' mother. They're going to be home soon, I know it," Link's expression was full of hope. Naively, Hyrin believed him. "C'mon! Let's go!"

The two boys ran down the road and up to a small house with stone walls and wooden shingles. Link ran through the open door, yelling as soon as he entered the house.

"Mr. Gesupir! My cousin came from the city!" Link yelled, joy in his voice.

"Who?" Talon came down the stairs, shaking the poorly build house.

"Link, you are crazy. Why would your cousin be here?" Cremia looked up, scolding the young boy. Hyrin walked into the room, waving to the middle-aged man standing on the stairs.

"Who are ya, kid?" Talon's rough, gravely yell shook the house.

"Hyrin Saorise. I'm Amarethela's nephew," Hyrin replied meekly.

"Why ya here?" Talon asked, calming his voice.

"My father died a few months ago. I knew that Aunt Ammie lived here, so I figured that I'd find some family here," Hyrin sighed.

"Can he stay, Mr. Gesupir? Please?" Link whined.

"Well, I really don't see any other place for him to go. I guess you can stay, Hyrin," Talon walked back up the stairs. "You might want to go see Master Orca. This town is in need of more swordsmen."

Hyrin's eyes lit up. He was going to learn how to fight!

"Let's go see him!" Link took Hyrin's hand, running back towards the town center and into a large building made of logs.

"Good morning, Instructor Eagus!" Link bowed before a large man ornamented with a tunic, chainlink, and a few medals. "Could I speak with Master Orca?"

"Yes. Master Orca is in his study. However, Link, you will be attending the Festival of Our Lady, Farore, correct?" Instructor Eagus asked.

"Of course. Will you be inducting the new swordsmen?"

"Yes, and promoting a few, too. Rusl Caldrer and Eandr Hammold are going to their next ranks."

"Okay. Thank you, Instructor Eagus," Link bowed and began walking towards a door at the end of the large room. He knocked softly on the door.

"Come in!" A low, scraggly voice came though the walls. Link opened the door. Sitting on a pillow in the middle of the room was an old man thin to the bone. Hyrin could not believe that he was a swordsman; he was too thin! "Ah, Link. I see that you have brought a guest. Who are you, youth?"

"My name is Hyrin Saorise. My fa-"

"There is no need for stories of the past. The only thing important now is the present. Link, why have you come to me?"

"Mr. Gesupir said that the town was in need of more swordsmen. I figured since my cousin and I will be coming of age soon, it would be important to begin learning."

"You are correct, Link. Now is the best time for your training to begin. You two shall both meet me here at the crack of dawn tomorrow."

"Thank you, Master Orca."

Link bowed, closed the door, and walked out the building, Hyrin following close behind him.

* * *

It was past noon. People were walking out of their homes in the village, all dressed in their finest clothes. The villagers were gathering their horses. They were walking down to the field before the river, where they would honor their patron goddess.

As more people entered the field, the sun shifted closer towards the horizon. Finally, at the hour of three, every villager and horse from Ancora was in the field.

Miss Jesslyne played Farore's Courage on her flute as the villagers waited.

"Oh, great one!" Mayor Beugarde yelled towards the forest. The villagers did the same.

"Goddess of Courage, Farore!" Mayor Beugarde yelled again, the villagers acting as his echo.

"Offer us your divine valor!" The villagers repeated after the mayor had spoken his line.

"Show us the likeness of true courage!"

"Tell us of the allowence of fear with your brave winds!"

"In your name, we pray!" Every villager bowed their heads, clasping their hands together.

It was silent for a moment, and the once calm breeze had turned into fierce wind.

"Will the children come forth, please!" Mayor Beugarde commanded. Hyrin, Ilia, Malon, Marin, Link, and Cremia, holding Aryll and Romani, walked towards the mayor. Madame Hildenna crowned the children with wreathes of Ancoran rivergrass, the very same grass that they were standing in.

"Great Goddess of Courage, bless the children!" Mayor Beugarde cried out.

"Bless the children!" The villagers yelled.

"Will the farmers come forth, please!" Mayor Beugarde yelled. Talon and Mr. Hammold stood aside the mayor.

"Great Goddess of Courage, bless the harvest!" He cried.

"Bless the harvest!" The villagers repeated.

"Will the horses come forth, please!" Rusl, Uli, and Cremia led seven horses to the mayor.

"Great Goddess of Courage, bless the horses!"

"Bless the horses!"

"May the swordsmen come forth, please!" Master Orca, Instructor Eagus, Rusl, Eandr, Link, and Hyrin gathered around the mayor.

"I am promoting Rusl Caldrer to soldier. May you strive to protect our humble village, Rusl," Master Orca handed Rusl a sword in an iron sheath with the village seal etched into its surface.

"Thank you, Master Orca," Rusl accepted the sword, bowed, and stepped back. His fiancee, Uli, patted him on the back.

"I am promoting Eandr Hammold to advanced swordsman. May you continue your training, Eandr. You will need every moment of it," Master Orca handed Eandr a wooden shield with the village seal painted on.

"Link Canor Carlten, Hyrin Ensis Saorise. You came to me this morning with a desire to learn the art of the sword. I accepted your wish. However, the art of the sword cannot be accomplished in a few weeks or even a few years. It takes time and determination. Sometimes you may feel the overwhelming urge to abandon your blade and leave behind all that you have learned. Sometimes you may feel that you cannot accomplish this task, but it is up to you to decide whether or not you will still fight. Are you willing to accept your own wish?" Master Orca looked at the two young boys, waiting for a response.

"Yes," They replied simultaneously.

"Very well, then. I have inducted you into the Ancora Academy of the Sword as novice swordsmen. May you fight with the courage of Our Lady, Farore."

Master Orca handed the two boys each a wooden sword in a wooden sheath. They bowed.  
"Thank you, Master Orca," Hyrin replied, his eyes wide. He strapped the sheath over his back, as did Link.

Miss Jesslyne played her song again.

"Long may The Goddess Farore bless this land!" Mayor Beugarde yelled for the last time.

As the field cleared, Hyrin stopped for a moment, something catching his eye. A piece of paper was crumbled on the ground. He picked it up, reading the words that sent a shock through his body.

_Freedom comes with a price._

* * *

**Whoop-dee-freaking-doo. An ending.**

**Review and stuff if you liked it. If you didn't like it or if you found a grammar mistake, review and let me know why/where. **

**-Ani**

_**Published November 20, 2012.**_


	2. Chapter 1

**Yes, after a month and a half of being dead (and watching Zeldathon), I have finally returned to grace you with the gift of this chapter. I had to plan the rest of the story and then when I finished this chapter, I noticed that it did not live up to my quality standards. Consequently, I rewrote the entire thing. Sorry that it took so long, folks.**

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_**Reviews Time!**_

**Guest- Thank you so much! That means bunches to me! :)**

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**Beta-read by the epic beta-reader LeilaEditer. Now go read Reality! After you read this! **

**I only own my scenario and my created characters. All other aspects belong to Nintendo.**

**TOO MANY LINE BREAKS! GAAAHHH!**

**-Ani**

* * *

_SEVEN YEARS LATER_

**Chapter 1 (The Abscondita)**

* * *

It was one of the most beautiful days out on the plantation, something that was hard to come by during mid-March in Ancora Village. I sat in the comforting shade of the stables, tuning Mr. Gesupir's old fiddle. The fiddle had lost its color and was in terrible disrepair. The scroll was chipped and the bowhair was falling out, and the D-string was so severely out of tune that it sounded closer to a F note. It broke my heart how somebody could have the nerve to neglect an instrument for so long.

"Hey, Hyrin?" Malon called out, her voice reverberating within the small stables, interrupting my quest to lower the poor instrument's pitch.

"Yes?" I looked up, trying to find the tell-tale copper hair. Malon never wore her sunveil anymore, and neither did Marin or Ilia. The age-old Faronian tradition was beginning to die out. However, I honestly could not blame them. Sunveils made the heat worse, ironically enough.

"Do you know where the brushes are? I can't seem to find them," Malon grunted, rubbing her mud-encrusted hand on her sweaty, freckled forehead, drawing a large brown smear across her face.

"I think Ilia took them to her house to clean them last week," I sighed. Tensing up, I pulled the stubborn tuning peg towards myself, letting out a grunt. Plucking the D-string yet again, I realized that it was still out of tune. Oh, Nayru.

"Really? I just cleaned them three weeks ago! The brushes only need to be cleaned once a month," She snorted, crossing her arms over her chest. The wind picked up, her dirty, mauve longskirt undulating in the gales like a flag. Dirt flew up within the stable breezeway.

"What's with the wind this week?"

"Maybe the soldiers are acting extra cowardly and Dearest Audacia is mad!" I chuckled, putting the fiddle on the ground.

"Our soldiers are terrible. They are such a joke! I bet that you'd be better than forty of them combined!" Malon grinned.

"Sadly, that's probably true," I smirked. I wasn't the best swordsman when it came to strength, but my instructor, Master Orca, said that I was the fastest person out of the hundreds that he has ever taught. I'm a good attacker but a terrible defender, something that will probably kill me one day, in all seriousness.

"Mally! Mally!" Malon's little sister, Romani, ran into the stables, bounding with energy. Her red hair flew behind her like a flame, and her eyes were lit up with excitement. It reminded me of Malon when she was younger. All four of the Gesupir sisters looked exactly alike; it was rather strange.

"What?" Malon groaned, drawling the vowel. All six of us, Malon, Marin, Romani, Link, Link's younger sister Aryll, and I, used to sleep in the same room. Malon was rarely able to sleep, though; Marin and Link snored very loudly. She was usually in a bad mood because of that.

"Can we go eat now?" Aryll appeared from behind Romani, clutching a stick in her small hands.

"Doesn't Miss Jesslyne's open at noon? It's about fifteen till then," Malon sighed, leaning against one of the stable doors.

"Yeah, but Ole' Jess lets us in early, remember?" I smirked. Malon rolled her eyes. She was deathly tired, as there had been a heavy storm plaguing our quaint village for the past few days. It was impossible for any Ancoran to sleep during that monster. The Village Center was far away from the plantation, which meant a long horse ride. No wonder she wasn't too excited.

"Go round up the folks and tell them to stop picking, Romani. Aryll, you stay here and help me saddle Inpes, okay? Scram, Nini," Malon turned towards the stall of an old Appaloosa stallion as Romani ran off into the field. "Put that fiddle away, Hyrin, and help me!"

I placed the fiddle and bow into a large leather pouch, wrapping the pouch straps around my waist and tying them onto my belt.

"Hey, did you move Ansel?" I inquired, looking for my horse. Ansel was a Freiberger stallion with a temper as feisty as the Goddess of Power herself. Mr. Gesupir had bought him from the Grand Market when he was barely two days old, and as soon as he got back to Ancora, he knew that little Ansel was trouble. He never followed commands and nobody could ride him. Malon and Ilia, the best horse people in the village, couldn't even coax him for a ride without suffering some form of injury. Then, when Ansel was three years old, Mr. Gesupir was readying his bow and arrow to shoot him when he saw that I was riding him. I don't know why, but I think I tamed him exclusively Nobody can ride Ansel without getting hurt, except for me. Of course, he still doesn't always follow my word or act completely calm, but I love him to death. He's my only horse and I'm his only rider.

"Yeah, his stall's window needed to be fixed. He's next to Thelly now," Malon waved her hand toward a set of stalls behind me. I slowly untied the twine rope keeping the stall door in place, Ansel beginning to stir. Sliding the heavy door open, Ansel erupted in a flurry of activity.

"Woah, boy," I pushed on his neck, trying to calm him down. It looked like he had been brushed a few minutes prior, so I deemed that it was safe to place my deteriorating saddle and old saddle blanket onto his back. After tying the leather strap tight under his stomach, I glanced around, eagerly searching for the bridle. Alas, I was standing on it. The bridle was covered in mud, but I did not mind much. I coaxed the bit into his mouth, getting saliva all over my hands. After rigorously wiping them off onto my brown pants, I gently pulled the crown on the bridle over his ears. Ansel stirred just a bit, shaking his head forcefully for a moment. I fastened the throatlatch, dusted off his mane, and mounted my horse.

"Are you ready, Hyrin?" Malon asked, leading her horse into the sunshine.

"Yup!" I smiled as Ansel trotted into the dust field before the stables. The breeze flew gently over my head, tossing my tangled brown hair over my face. I drew a deep breath, smelling the fresh air. After being in the musty stables for so long, it was a pleasure to be able to breathe deeply without hacking up a lung.

I could see the faint figures of Epona and Dianthe, Link and Ilia's horses, through the dust. Dianthe almost skid when Ilia attempted to stop her.

"Are we going to Miss Jesslyne's now or after noon?" Ilia asked, her bright green eyes full of determination. Epona stopped just as Ilia finished speaking.

"Now, right? I'm hungry!" Link whined.

"You're always hungry," Malon smirked.

"I just don't think it would be good to go now. We should wait until the afternoon to go," Ilia's determined face began to fade into concern.

"We're all starving. We're going to go now," Marin brushed back her bangs as she sat atop Dianthe.

"I guess that's decided. Last one there has to go fishing with Eandr tomorrow!" I yelled, Ansel taking off towards town.

As the trot became a canter, and as the canter became a gallop, I could feel the wind dancing across my weary face. The trees of the woods provided for a gentle shade from the unseasonably warm sun, allowing my vision to be perfect. I smiled, allowing joy to take over as I rode atop Ansel. What a perfect, beautiful day.

Alas, the village center came into view. I turned sharply around the corner, meeting the front porch of Miss Jesslyne's Eatery. Dismounting Ansel, I tied his reins to one of the porch's supporting posts. I burst in through the door.

"Hey, Hyrin!" Miss Jesslyne looked up, a wet dishrag in her calloused hands. "Are you and the gang ready for lunch?"

"You bet!"

"Hello, Hyrin, dear," Uli, Miss Jesslyne's assistant, entered, holding a pile of plates.

"Hello, Miss Uli," I smiled. Just as soon as I cracked a grin, the Gesupir sisters ran in, accompanied by choruses of_ Hello!_s and _How are you doing?_s. Link, Ilia, and Aryll were right behind them.

"Would you folks like to try my new sandwich? It's Lanayru pork on lettuce and a rye bread. I got it all from the Grand Market last week," Miss Jesslyne smiled, fixing her sunveil. She still wore hers out of honor for her mother and sister.

"Sure, I'll have one with lemonade," I nodded before wondering outside to the porch. I sat there, listening to the wind, waiting for my food. The porch tables began to fill up with the members of our group, and in no time, my sandwich was sitting in front of me, accompanied by a cool glass of lemonade.

Cremia, another one of the Gesupir sisters, and her fiancee, Eandr Hammold, began to play outside with Colin, Uli's five-year-old son. Miss Jesslyne came outside to sit with us. All was peaceful. The entirety of the village was in bliss. It seemed almost surreal, too good to be true.

"Hey, Ilia, why don't you come and sit with us?" Malon called out.

"No thanks. I'm feeling a bit sunsick today. You should come in, too," Ilia whimpered.

"It really isn't that bad, Ilia," Aryll sighed.

"I have bad news. I'm sorry," Miss Jesslyne wiped her hands on her apron, pausing, "but I'm closing up shop."

"You've got to be kidding me!" Marin's eyes widened in disbelief. Miss Jesslyne drew a deep breath.

"A woman in Hyrule Castle Town is moving her tavern from there to Karariko Village, and she needs somebody to buy the space so that the landlords cannot control it. I thought that I would earn more money in a bigger town, rather than a small village like Ancora. I have to either leave or go bankrupt. I'm so sorry about this, but with the Royal Family taxing market and tavern owners more and more, I literally cannot risk staying her any longer."

In an instant, the whole village grew eerily quiet, save for the frantic flapping of bird wings and the restless jerking of the horses. The harsh gales of wind had befallen to stagnant air, and the leafless trees ceased to creak in the wind. My heart skipped a beat.

The ground began to tremble, as if the strong earth was weakened to a flimsy drum. I stood up, feeling for a sword or shield at my hip or on my back; anything to protect me from this surprise stampede or earthquake. I only felt the air.

"Link! Where in Farore's name are the swords?" My voice's trembling rivaled that of the ground's.

"The house," He replied calmly. My temper quickened. I turned to Malon, standing in front of me, staring in the distance. I turned my head, letting my cup of lemonade shatter on the porch floor. At least thirty foreigners were running about Ancora.

I picked up a shard of glass from the broken cup and ran up to the first warrior I saw. Yanking her arm down as hard as I could, I drove the glass in on her left side, above her lowest rib. As I pulled it across her skin, blood welled up in the shard's path. She tumbled to the ground, dropping her dual swords, gasping at her side. The woman looked up at me with tired, golden eyes dripping with tears. Her strength faded as her head fell to the ground.

Without thinking, I grasped her sword and ran into the crowd, slashing furiously at whoever was near. A scream echoed throughout the small village. I turned around, finding Aryll being carried in the arms of a foreigner, rope around her small arms. Running as fast as I could, I thrust the tip of my sword into her shoulder, blood oozing out of the small piercing.

In the blink of an eye, she put Aryll under her arm and kicked me in the stomach. As I my back collided with the earth, my breath left me. I choked, coughing and gasping for air. I stood up, even in my pained state, and approached her, but that was foolish. She sliced a gash across my stomach and ran away as I doubled over in pain.

"Hyrin!" Uli yelled, running up to me. She was a weak woman, but she managed to lift me up from the ground. Through my closed eyes, I noticed that it was getting darker. I opened them slightly, just to see that I was in Miss Jesslyne's kitchen.

"Oh, you poor thing. May the Goddesses have mercy on you," Uli sighed as she lifted my shirt. Blood was pooled across the wound, leaking onto my clothes. She placed a towel in a pail of water and began wiping the cut. I started to cry.

"It hurts, Uli," I weeped.

"I know, dear. I know," She wiped her forehead on her sleeve. "But you are the bravest girl this village has ever seen."

I froze.

"What? How di- how did you kn-"

"Miss Jesslyne told me. Don't worry, hon, your secret's safe with me. I won't tell a soul; I swear on the Great Power," Uli winked at me, her once-sweet voice darkening.

"I'm not that brave. I was terrified of going out there," I sighed as Uli picked up a roll of white cloth.

"You must be kidding me. You were the first one to fight. I don't doubt that you were afraid, but bravery is not about being numb to fear. Courage is continuing even though your fear is strong."

I relaxed as her words sunk into my mind.

"Could you sit up, please?" Uli asked, unrolling the cloth. I pushed myself off of the floor, the heat of the stove washing over my face. Uli wrapped the white cloth around my abdomen, tying it off at the end.

I could still hear the pounding of feet, swords clanking, and the children screaming. I could only imagine the chaos that was just outside the safety of the tavern. Within a few minutes, the sounds faded out. Miss Jesslyne appeared in the doorway. Her cheeks were wet, and her lip quivered.

"Uli, Hyrin, come see this," She whispered. Uli helped me up off of the ground. I walked out of the tavern, only to be greeted by the most terrifying thing I've seen in my life.

Mr. Gesupir was holding Cremia and Romani in his arms, crying hysterically. Mr. Hammold held on to a limp body. I walked closer only to see that the body was Eandr, Cremia's fiancee. On the other side of the village center, the Mayor's House was up in flames. Ilia and Madame Hildenna lay in front of the burning edifice, also holding a body in their arms. Master Orca and Instructor Eagus were walking around the village, one holding a spear and the other a broadsword.

"Where is my husband? My son?" Uli's voice grew frantic.

"They were taken with the others," Mr. Hammold looked up at Uli. I glanced around, looking for any of my friends. They weren't there.

I started running towards the house that we shared. At twelve, Link, Aryll, and I moved into Link's parent's old house. It was right across from the Gesupir's house, which made it convenient for meals. I opened the door.

"Link?" I called. "Aryll? You here?"

No answer. I shut the door and bolted towards the plantation path, running as fast as I could towards the stables.

"Marin!" I yelled, my voice echoing throughout the field. Nothing. "Malon, please!"

Inside the stables, I took Thelly out of her stall and lifted myself on to her back. Riding saddle-less towards the field, I turned my head left and right, ignoring the piercing pain in my stomach. Dust flew up as Thelly galloped, obscuring my vision.

I passed through the thin layer of forest separating the plantation from the field. My eyes darting from side to side, I desperately searched for my friends. To my dismay, the field was barren of any other people.

Going down a hill, I reached the river. Sitting down on the blanket of rivergrass, I felt misery wash over me. Guilt and regret clouded my thoughts, stinging my every memory of the events of the last hour.

Why did this have to happen to our village? We haven't done anything wrong! Maybe it's me. Maybe I cursed the village by changing castes. I dug my head into my arms, as if I could leave this world by closing my eyes.

"Hyrin?" Somebody behind me yelled. I lifted up my head, turning around to see who it was. Miss Jesslyne was running towards me through the tall grass, her green longskirt and sunveil billowing in the wind. The afternoon sun shone behind her, casting Miss Jesslyne's body darker and the field more golden.

"Hyrin! Thank the Gods that you are okay!" Miss Jesslyne sat down next to me.

"What do you want?" I sneered. Her eyes scolded me.

"Well," She unwrapped her sunveil, a navy blue braid tumbling to the ground. "I just wanted to let you know that this isn't the first time this has happened."

"What do you mean?"

Miss Jesslyne sighed. Her shimmering golden eyes were filled with pain.

"Back when I was almost your age, our village had been somewhat whole. My family was missing, but other than that, each family was complete. After November had passed, our village was raided by those warriors, the Gerudo."

"The Gerudo?"

"They are a race of ruthless, terrifying, bloodthirsty female warriors. They live in the desert past Hyrule, and they are led by a man. Only one is born every hundred years," Miss Jesslyne stared at the grass.

"How do you know so much about them? You've lived in Hyrule your whole life."

"I am a Gerudo, Hyrin. My grandmother, a Gerudo, fell in love with a Sheikah, married him, and had my mother. My grandparents were charged with treason and killed when my mother was ten years old."

Miss Jesslyne looked up, staring at the river.

"Anyways, Malon and Marin's mother, Calyn, and Link's mother were captured. Uli's entire family was taken, and Rusl had the same fate. Mayor Beugarde lost his youngest son, Roland, who was only three. Instructor Eagus lost his sister. Link's father and Mrs. Hammold tried to stop them from taking our people, but they were brutally murdered. Our village shrunk from thirty-three to seventeen in one day, and today, our population went from nineteen to twelve. We've lost twenty-one people in seven years, Hyrin, and this is happening all over Hyrule," Miss Jesslyne looked to the sky. "They say that the Mad Hellion causes destruction, the Condemned Spirit causes suffering, and the Demon God causes terror. I feel that Hyrule is hosting all three."

I sat blankly, attempting to digest what she had just said.

"Hyrin, I feel that you are old enough to have this," Miss Jesslyne handed me a letter. "A person in Hyrule Castle Town is rallying people for a change in government. They are convinced that the Royal Family is ignoring the needs of us, the people."

"Who writes this?"

"Probably an old councilman or lord. They sign the letters as _The Seeker of the Truth_, or more often, _The Seeker_. The letters are mailed out to anyone who requests them and can read."

"We are probably the only ones in Ancora who can read, aren't we?" I raised an eyebrow.

"Mayor Beugarde can read, or _could_ read, as I should say. You don't count, though. You were raised in the Royal caste," Miss Jesslyne confirmed. "It's going to get dark soon. We should start heading back to the village."

Pushing my tired body up off of the ground, I walked towards Thelly and mounted her. Miss Jesslyne sat behind me and we headed towards the village.

* * *

Opening the house door, I lit a lantern and almost jumped out of my skin.

"Link Canor Carlten! Oh my Gods! You cannot do this to me!" I screamed as I stared wide-eyed at Link.

"I'm just sitting h-"

"I thought you were dead! Where have you been for the past three hours?" I spoke hastily through my teeth.

"Viren. Buying supplies," Link held up a tweed satchel bursting with random items.

"For what?" I set the lantern down and placed the letter on a tall shelf.

"We are going to get our friends back, Hyrin. We are going to find them and bring them home!" Link smirked.

"Link, we don't even know where they are being taken to. They could be dead by now. I'm not going to waste my time on finding somebody who is long gone."

"What if you had been taken? Wouldn't you want somebody to search for you?"

"Of course. Who wouldn't want somebody to search for them?"

"Exactly. Besides, I might even find my parents and Malon and Marin's mother and Uli's family and all of the people that we've lost! We'll bring them home! Everything will be okay!"

"Link, I don't think that they will still be there."

"What?"

"Link, your father is dead and your mother is missing. I think that we probably won't find them."

I sat on my bed and took off my boots.

"Haven't you ever lost anything, Hyrin?" Link spoke darkly. "Do you even know?"

"No, I don't," I whispered. Link extinguished the lantern.

"Then understand before you assume."

* * *

**Chapter 2 will arrive in the coming weeks. If you would like to read something lighter, check out my other story, Antiquis Viam! It's the sequel to this story and it's on hiatus! Yay, hiatus!**

**Check my profile often for updates on the progress of my chapters. Check out my twitter, _anidnawind_, for randomness of my life when I am not writing. And whenever I get a decent capture card, check out my YouTube channel, _anidnawind_****, for Nintendo awesomeness!**

**Oh, and thanks for reading!**

**-Ani**

_**Published January 11, 2013.**_


	3. Chapter 2

**Hey, folks! Sorry that it took so long and that this chapter is so short, but my motto is quality before quantity. This is also a very important chapter in the story, so be sure to pay attention! Also, please review if you like my story or if you hate my story. I'll honor you in some way, shape, or form. Just keep it constructive, guys.**

**Beta-read by my amazingly epic friend LeilaEditer. **

**And y'know what? I don't own the Legend of Zelda, but the characters I've created, such as Miss Jesslyne, belong to me! Can you believe that?**

**-Ani**

* * *

**Chapter 2 (The Verus)**

* * *

Dipping my quill into the inkpot once more, I drew out letters on the paper as neatly as I could. My handwriting was impeccable; my tutors told me so.

"Mi'lady!" My servant, Maggie, burst through my chamber door. Startled, I jumped in my seat, hitting the table and subsequently spilling ink all over my desk and ivory nightgown.

"Maggie, please clean this up," I sighed.

"Yes, mi'lady, and your grandfather has instructed me to help you dress," Maggie kept her head down, auburn hair obscuring her face, and curtsied. As she left, she shut the door. Running over to my bookshelf, I retrieved a key from underneath one of my encyclopedias. I locked my chamber door as fast as I could.

I exchanged my nightgown for a shift and petticoats. I pulled a pair of white stockings up to my waist and fastened leather boots on my feet. I dusted off my court dress, a lavender, floral print ballgown with gold accents throughout, before pulling it over my head. I swept my hair up into a bun, inserted my sapphire earrings, and placed a sapphire circlet around my head.

As I slipped my gloves on, I quickly fell distracted. There are three triangles imprinted on the back of my right hand, and its ominous existence has puzzled me for as long as I can remember. Traditionally, this symbol would not belong on the hand of-

"Lady Milencia!" Maggie cried from behind the door.

-somebody like me.

"Yes, Maggie?" I called.

"The carriage has arrived, mi'lady," Maggie's voice was muffled by the wood. "Please do allow me to assist you in dressing."

I ran to my bookshelf and uncovered the key. After unlocking the door, I placed in in my bun.

"I'm afraid that won't be necessary," I smirked as I ran down to the foyer.

"Grandfather! I'm ready!" I yelled, my languid voice reverberating off of the marble floors.  
"It took you long enough, Mila," Grandfather limped into the foyer, his servant and carriage driver, Salvatore, standing behind him. "Go on, child."

I opened the door and walked outside, my nose greeting the horrid smell of the street beggars of Hyrule Castle Town.

The beggars lived outside even during the coldest blizzards and hottest days. They covered their skeletal, frail bodies with only loincloths and shawls, while the children wore almost nothing at all. The beggars were caked in dirt, urine, feces, blood, and bile. They spent their days finding food and their nights stealing from the well-off. Most people were afraid of the beggars, but I was not. I knew that they could not escape their situation.

As I made my stride towards the carriage, I could feel their glazed eyes and hollow faces following my every move. I stared at the ground, trying to avoid their hungry glare.

"Hurry up, Mila!" Grandfather yelled from behind me. I sighed as I ran towards the carriage.

* * *

"Who goes here?" A Hyrule Castle guard yelled from the palace gate.

"The Lady of Farosse and her grandfather," Grandfather yelled to the guard, his hoarse voice cracking.

"You may proceed," The guard yelled once again as the iron gate began to separate. Salvatore whipped the horse, setting the carriage back into motion. As we crossed under the stone arch of the gate, the five spires of Hyrule Castle soon became visible. We stopped by the moat, where an attendant was waiting.

"Lady Milencia of Farosse and Sir Sedonn Harle, the Royal Family welcomes you to Hyrule Castle. I am Anraí. Please follow me," A woman, dressed in the image of a Sheikah, bowed down before me and Grandfather. She led us into the castle and to a large room full of people before disappearing into the crowd. Three golden chairs were at the forefront of the room.

Within a few minutes, the fanfare _Beneath the Gods_ began to play.

"I present to all, the King of Hyrule, Nohansen Alesand Nayris, and his Queen Consort, Elspeth Ilonah Marike!" A guard proclaimed. The King and Queen entered the room, the Queen sitting in the rightmost throne, and much to my surprise, the King sitting in the leftmost throne.

The center throne was always reserved for the monarch.

"Before we introduce any more of the Royal Family, I must ask of you for a moment of silence in honor of the lives of Prince Alesander Manifred Dinelm, Princess Zelda Elspethine Adalheide, Prince Declan Nayris Gentrien, Princess Zelda Elàintide Alastríona, and the infant Princess Zelda Mariktide Nabuna, the King and Queen's youngest children. They were victims of the terrible Desert Fever," The guard announced. I pondered upon the feasibility of their deaths, as Desert Fever can only be contracted if one goes to the Gerudo Desert, a forbidden land full of thieves and warriors.

The room fell silent.

"After the exile of Prince Daphnes Nohansen Mattais on accounts of treason and the death of Princess Zelda Augustine Wilhelmina, there is only one heir to the throne of Hyrule. Ladies and gentlemen, I present to all, Her Royal Highness, The Crown Princess of Hyrule, Zelda Constantine Nohanna!"

The crowd erupted in cheers as a young girl, dressed in expensive pink silk, rubies, and gold armor, entered the room accompanied by two Sheikah, one of which I recognized as Anraí. The Princess's silver-blonde hair was curled to her shoulders and ornamented with a golden crown.

She stood in front of the throne, the cheers of the crowd ceasing.

"People of Hyrule, you are gathered here to celebrate my thirteenth birthday. As heir to the Hyrulean Throne, it is written that I must be accompanied by a lady-in-waiting. It has taken much thought to decide which one of the many maidens of Hyrule should become my companion. However, I have made my decision," The Princess proclaimed. "I have chosen the Lady of Farosse, Milencia Janne Harle. Please step forward, Lady Milencia."

I attempted to keep a straight face, but fear had already been embedded into my heart. I stepped forward with apprehension.

"Lady Milencia, do you swear with your life to always uphold my decisions and stay loyal to me, The Crown Princess of Hyrule, Zelda Constantine?" The Princess's face was as expressionless as a statue's. I swallowed. Closing my eyes, I could hear voices reverberating in my mind. One voice, though, stood out among the rest.

_Accept the oath... accept the oath... accept the oath..._

"I, Lady Milencia of Farosse, swear with my life," I bowed, placing my right hand over my heart and closing my eyes, "To always uphold your decisions and to stay loyal to you, The Crown Princess of Hyrule, Zelda Constantine."

I looked up, The Princess's face smug.

"I proclaim you to be the Lady-in-waiting to The Crown Princess of Hyrule. All hail Lady Milencia of Farosse!" The Princess exclaimed. I turned around to see the whole crowd, at least five hundred people, bowing to me.

"I call the Appointment of the Lady of Farosse adjourned! All must empty the Throne Hall!" The King yelled from his seat.

"Lady Milencia, your new guardian, Anraí, will lead you to your new quarters, where your new servants will be waiting. I have instructed your old servant to bring your things to the castle. I will speak with again after dinner in the castle courtyard," The Princess turned and walked out of the Throne Hall, another Sheikah following her.

"Lady Milencia, it would be an honor to be of service to you. As I have told you once before, my name is Anraí. I am a Sheikah woman from Eldin Province," Anraí bowed. She had chin-length, shaggy, navy blue hair, and red eyes the color of blood. From the likes of her, she could be no older than nineteen.

"Please, just call me Mila," I begged.

"Very well, Mila. I'll direct you to your quarters," Anraí smiled and started walking to where The Princess had left.

* * *

"Lady Milencia, we would rather you accept our assistance in dressing," My new servant chirped.

"No thank you, Gillian," I sighed, placing my earrings and circlet on the dresser before me.

"Mi'lady, it is our duty to serve you. If we do not, our pay is not given to us," My other servant begged.

"Suzy, I-"

"My name is Sue-Belle, mi'lady."

"Sue-Belle, how much do you get paid?" I asked.

"50 rupees."

"Per day?" I raised my eyebrows.

"Per year," Gillian whispered, staring at the stone floor. "It's better than the cotton labor."

"We're only castle servants because we do not have Hylian ears," Sue-Belle confessed.

"Wouldn't you have lived on a farm anyways?" I placed my hand on my chin in thought.

"Not the Gerudo cotton fields, mi'lady. The Gerudo Tribe have been trading cotton with the Royal Family for at least ten years. Their tribe is still in debt from the Reign of Zelda XXVII The Great."

"I feel we have said too much. Good evening, Lady Milencia," Gillian curtsied and left, with Sue-Belle tagging along behind her.

For a moment, all was quiet. I could feel the hair of my neck standing on ends. My head darted to the left, and I felt a rush of air across my face. On my dresser was a note.

_The Princess is waiting for you._

I walked out of my quarters.

* * *

The Princess stood eerily still in the moonlit courtyard. I approached her slowly, insecurity in my steps.

"Lady Milencia, it is a pleasure to see you once again," The Princess opened her eyes, a piercing golden orange, the likes of which I had never seen before.

"My sentiments exactly, Your Royal Highness," I faked a smile. She reciprocated, baring her teeth in the most unnerving way.

"I have important business to discuss with you. You have sworn allegiance to my side, and therefore must accept this gift," She opened her hands, displaying a bronze pendant, ornamented with the Hylian Crest. However, The Princess turned it over, revealing a different symbol: the Symbol of the Gerudo Tribe.

_Accept it... give in... abandon..._

"Your Royal Highness, I am honored," I paused, waiting for aid.

_Abandon... you have... earned trust..._

"I shall accept your gift."

"Lady Milencia, it would be my pleasure to grant you the title of Vicereine of the Gerudo. As the Crown Princess of Hyrule, Archduchess of the Gerudo, and Heiress of the Triforce of the Goddesses, it is my duty to relieve you of the burden you bear."

_Do not fall... child... hold true..._

"And what would that be?" I questioned.

Her eyes faded to a stark brown.

"The clouds will obscure the moon soon. Please, go to your quarters," The Princess commanded, then entered a pair of wooden doors.

I turned to walk towards my chamber. I felt somebody grab my arm. I screamed, but the sound was muffled by their other hand over my mouth.

"She does not need your for your company. If you are not careful, she will dispose of you," A Sheikah woman was before me, her solemn red eyes sending fear down my spine. Unlike Anraí, her hair was white and cut as short as a man's. "Practice caution near her, but I am sure you already have that skill; you do indeed bear the Triforce of Wisdom," The woman paused yet again. "Remember, an oath is not but words, and words fade with time. Actions are eternal. Be wary of what you do."

"Who are you?" I asked as she began walking away. She stopped, turned, and walked back to me.

"You do not recognize me?" She implored, her austere mask cracking.

"No, I am afraid not," I mumbled.

"That... that is not good..." Her voice faded to a whisper. "The spirit has broken."

"Pardon me, please, but I still do not know your name."

"My name is Impa. You have already met my cousin, Anraí. She is such a foolish girl, always in trouble. I hope she does not cause you harm. She means well," The woman looked down. "But you have caused harm. It would be best to hide your secret from Her Highness, or be prepared for the ultimate price."

"You know?" My eyes widened.

"I am a Sheikah. We see everything that enters this castle," Impa divulged.

"You don't think that anybody else read the other letters, correct?" I asked, my voice grim.

"I doubt it. Besides, I'm sure that nobody would believe that The Seeker is a young woman. Your secret is safe with me," Impa crossed her arms.

"Wait, whose side are you on?" I asked.

"I may be The Princess's guardian, but that doesn't mean I have to think she's always right. I hope she won't become queen, though, by death or other means. Hyrule is destined to fade if it falls into her hands. She has massive things planned, things that I never wish to befall upon this land," Impa looked towards the dark sky. "And I will do everything in my power to stop her, even if it means treason. That is why I have come to you. She is trying to take something of yours, and once she has it, she will be unstoppable."

"You don't mean-"

"She wants the Triforce."

* * *

**Dramatic ending is dramatic. Review if you want to!**

**-Ani**

_**Published February 14, 2013.**_


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